A multi-disk brake may be implemented in various types of vehicles. Multi-disk brakes are generally implemented when installation of a brake assembly preclude the use of disks with sufficiently large diameters. In operation, multi-disk brakes include a disk stack having loose spinning disks, or rotor disks, and stationary disks. The disks are engaged with one another when the brake is actuated and are released from engagement when the brake is released. Due to travel and lateral acceleration of the vehicle, the spinning disks and the stationary disks may contact one another when the brake is released or in an unactuated mode of operation.
Conventional multi-disk brake systems are suitable for certain applications, such as in aircrafts. In aircrafts, the multi-disk brake is generally only applied during the landing of the aircraft and the amount of ground travel is very limited. During the landing operation, the spinning disks rotate at the same speed as the aircraft wheel and contact between the disks is minimal. Thus, wear of the multi-disk brake is typically not an issue when the brake is implemented in an aircraft. Although suitable for aircrafts, conventional multi-disk brakes may not be suitable in applications where the disks are not braking the wheel directly, but are instead braking a gear box input shaft that drives the wheel. In this case, the RPM will be much higher than in an aircraft application. On ground vehicles, there will also be a significantly higher number of brake application than in aircrafts. The disks will also be subjected to more frequent inertia load or “g” loads when, for example, the vehicle is cornering.